2015 was the edge, the cliff, the abyss looking back at us... and we jumped... oh yes we did...

Top 50 of my 8+ ratings

Enjoy! or not I don't really care

Album count: 155
Average rating: 7.15

1.Shape Of Despair - Monotony Fields

2.Arcturus - Arcturian

3.Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

4.Kauan - Sorni Nai

5.Swallow The Sun - Songs From The North I, II & III

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This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.Racer X - Technical Difficulties

2.Radiance (FIN) - The Burning Sun

3.Ragana - You Take Nothing

4.Rage - Black In Mind

5.Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine

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1.Esoteric - Paragon Of Dissonance

2.Aluk Todolo - Voix

3.Emptiness - Nothing But The Whole

4.Elysian Blaze - Blood Geometry

5.Darkspace - Dark Space III I

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I began this decade in my final year of high school, in the early phases of my metal journey (Mastodon, Machine Head, Dream Theater, Pantera and Avenged Sevenfold were still recent discoveries). One Masters degree and one PhD later, I'm now a tax-paying Londonian, and have ploughed through what must be comfortably over 2000 new releases during the previous ten years. To commemorate the end of a turbulent decade, I've put together a list of the albums that have stuck with me throughout this decade - I wouldn't consider this to be a 'best albums' list, as there have been some truly ingenious works released in more avant-garde territories, but ultimately these are the albums that have ended up dominating my listening habits, or otherwise making a sufficient impression to make this list.

1.Sylosis - Monolith

2.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

3.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

4.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

5.Cult Of Luna - Vertikal

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Been a bit slow checking releases around the halfway point of the year, but should get back into it soon and hopefully flesh out this list.

1.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

2.Horrendous - Anareta

3.Slugdge - Dim & Slimeridden Kingdoms

4.Teramaze - Her Halo

5.Regarde Les Hommes Tomber - Exile

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As is the case with my other lists, this is for my own organizational purposes and is designed purely to help me keep track of all the many black metal bands and albums that I enjoy, since I can't keep all of this information in my head. It has no other benefit whatsoever and will likely result in tantrums should anyone else see it. I'm aware that I haven't listened to every black metal album that I should have. I only went down to the 6s on this list, so it's possible that I have listened to your favorite black metal album that you desperately need to suggest and I thought it was terrible. There are a lot of heinously incompetent black metal bands out there.

On the off-chance that you've found this and actually care about what I think (you shouldn't), be advised that my favorites come first. Some are favorites in the general sense; some are favorites within black metal. The first few of those are in some order and not so much after that.

Because this is for my own purposes and not intended to be a definitive list of pure black metal, there are some black metal-adjacent bands, or albums by black metal bands that may not themselves be black metal. That's why you'll find so much Sigh clogging up the top of the list. I prefer to keep whole discographies together on one list. I used to include Primordial, Forefather, and other such bands, but a while back I created a list for folk and I decided that those artists would fit better there.

I update these lists very infrequently. This was last updated December 7, 2022.

1.Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape

2.Sigh - Graveward

3.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

4.Sigh - Heir To Despair

5.The Meads Of Asphodel - The Murder Of Jesus The Jew

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Due to new developments and time constraints, I have streamlined this back into one list. I have taken off anything that I did not care for, so just consider it a list of recommended listens. You can find full reviews on Metal Trenches (MT) in most cases. Also jumping on the artwork bandwagon:

1.Between The Buried And Me - Coma Ecliptic

2.Abyssal - Antikatastaseis

3.Death Karma - The History Of Death & Burial Rituals Part I

4.A Forest Of Stars - Beware The Sword You Cannot See

5.Leviathan - Scar Sighted

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You know the drill.

1.A Swarm Of The Sun - The Rifts

2.Actors&Actresses - Pyre

3.An Autumn For Crippled Children - The Long Goodbye

4.Anderwelt - Schattenlichter

5.Anomalie - Refugium

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1.Symphony X - Underworld

2.Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls

3.Sorcerer - In The Shadow Of The Inverted Cross

4.Thousand Eyes - Endless Nightmare

5.Band-Maid® - New Beginning

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----Updated every weeks----

I'm looking for all genres without exceptions, with currently little preferencies for Progressive, Death and Black metal! Listenning to every albums 2 or 3 times at less before including it in my list.
I specify my favourite songs in order of preferency

❤ = Amazing song!

1.Intronaut - The Direction Of Last Things

2.Between The Buried And Me - Coma Ecliptic

3.Periphery - Juggernaut: Alpha & Omega

4.Thy Catafalque - Sgùrr

5.Deafheaven - New Bermuda

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1.All time & genre (including Non-Metal on MS)
2.Only studio albums & EPs
3.I DON'T modify this list. So, this list is THE FINAL edition and based on my selection on 1 April 2017. (Modified on 12 February 2022)
4.The genre is primary one.
Last modified on 1 April 2017

...NOTICE: I'm reselecting albums & EPs for "The Timeless Ver2". This will be a bit more stringently selected than "ver1".

1.Opeth - Blackwater Park

2.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

3.Krallice - Diotima

4.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

5.Deathspell Omega - Kénôse

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